The Unbearable Whiteness of Being

Johan Santana to the Red Sox is all but done. Jon Lester, a center fielder, Justin Masterson and Ryan Kalish are the package. More details now.

--Will Carroll, 5:15 p.m.

Last night that was the announcement that makes me think that the Red Sox will be getting Johan Santana. As I mentioned before - a trade like this won't be announced for hours or days after an agreement has been made because the team trading for Santana will have a 72-hour window to get him signed to a new contract. The deal could have been done last night and now the Red Sox and Santana are just getting the physical done and contract details hammered out.

It will be awesome if the Red Sox get Santana for the rumored package of players. It will make them prohibitive favorites to win multiple World Series over the next few years. However, there is one aspect of the proposed package that bears closer examination.

Almost every Red Sox fan hopes that center fielder mentioned will be Coco Crisp and not Jacoby Ellsbury. However, if it is Coco Crisp then that means there is a very good chance that the Boston Red Sox's Opening Day 25-man roster will have ZERO African Americans. I know, I know - who cares? I care only that the Red Sox field the most competitive team possible but I bring this up because some people will make an issue out of it. Make no mistake. And yes I'm talking about the Boston Globe here.

It's a stupid issue but something the Boston Globe made a big deal out of 4-years ago. If Coco Crisp is traded - I'm betting they make it an issue once again.